


Between Ice and Laugh

by Hamyheikki



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games)
Genre: Additional Scene, Other, arkham city
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-20 05:28:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22943932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hamyheikki/pseuds/Hamyheikki
Summary: After Batman agrees on Mr. Freeze's pleas of finding his wife, a certain master of puzzles decides to drop in on GCPD, just to see the game unfold first-hand.And if he picks up a few additional pieces of information on the way, all the better.
Relationships: Victor Fries & Edward Nygma
Kudos: 12





	Between Ice and Laugh

**Author's Note:**

> (This fic makes much more sense if you're familiar with Arkham City game, and especially Mr. Freeze's storyline.)  
> A request work for @dorksquadsquotes from tumblr.  
> I had a really fun time writing this, and I do hope you like how it turned out in the end.

The slamming of a door was loud enough to be heard from the rooftop, a sign for Nygma to sit up from his perch and take a quick glance down. As his radio had confirmed, it seemed that the Dark Knight had indeed found the iceman he’d been after, all the while remaining obvious to the fact that Nygma had managed to hack his way into the signal Joker had forced upon the Batman. An easy feat, really, given how the clown was not too concerned of others listening in on his idle ramblings towards the Bat. 

The Knight himself might disagree, but then again, what he didn’t know...

Standing up properly, Nygma leaned in a bit, making sure that the coast was clear before climbing down on a lower platform, still shadowed by the walls of the looming building. He could hear the tell-tale sound of a line launcher being activated, and waited a moment longer. No reason to act hastily, especially since he had no particular desire to run into the vigilante of the night quite yet. Before that confrontation, there was things to be done, loose ends to tie up.

Information to gather.

After a few more minutes, Nygma took the final leap to the main floor, landing near the doorway which led deeper into the police department. With a long step, the strolled over he bodies lying on the ground and came to a halt in front of the pair of metal doors. Thankfully, both the Joker’s thugs and the Bat had already done away with the locks, and so all it took was a slight push of his cane, and he was in. No alarms, no guards, as expected. 

As he walked along the deserted corridors, Nygma played the latest conversation he’d heard over in his head. The raw voice of Freeze's had been easy to identify, even if he hadn’t known beforehand who the Batman was meeting with. Apart from little bits and pieces lost to the static, it had become clear the exchange between the two had been far from heartwarming, which of course made it more interesting to Nygma. Where there was friction, there were opportunities. And it didn’t hurt that he found the man of science intriguing in general. They had crossed paths in the past (in a city like Gotham, and with their line of work, how couldn’t they?) and in most cases had gotten along swimmingly. Granted, Freeze wasn’t much of a conversationalist majority of the time, but in Nygma’s books, that could hardly be counted as a fault. He himself was more than capable to keep the discussion going. 

They’d had several conversations of both of their respected areas of expertise, some off-hand talks about a possibility of joined heists, and in one memorable occasion, a short shared cab-ride to a rogue meeting in Cobblepot’s lounge.

All and all, he respected the man, and found him fascinating. So there was no reason to try and dim out his wide smile as he waltzed through the remaining pair of doors, and into the room from where the telling whirl of mechanics could be heard.

* * *

“Socializing with winged rodents now, are we?”

Fries’ fingers slipped on the keyboard when the unexpected voice spoke out behind him. He could feel the tension forming in his posture, but he stayed still, kept his own voice even as he inched his hand towards the gun resting on the counter top.

“Bats are not _rodents_. Rather a member of the chiroptera family.” Slowly, he turned around, facing the new arrival with a raised brow. “But then again, you’d already know so, Mr. Nygma.”

The man spoken to was leaning heavily against the wall near the door, smirking. Nothing out of ordinary, nothing Fries hadn’t known the man do in the past. There was a certain air of arrogance which always seemed to follow behind him, _around_ him, and oddly enough it made the Riddler difficult to predict. Not that Victor had ever been talented in that field anyway. Nora was the one to get along with people, to spin a conversation into existence...

A sudden burst of laughter wrestled him out of his thoughts.

“Ah, _such brilliance from the good doctor!_ I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Before him, the Riddler had jumped down the remaining steps to stand on an equal ground with him. “But riddle me this; The man of ice made me. The knight of dark wants me. The clown of Gotham took me. What am I?”

That insufferable smirk again. Fries leaned back with a frown, carefully scanning over the other man’s expression. The teeth-revealing grin. The quirk of his eyebrows. That sharp glint in his eyes.

Fries set his gun down. “You’d do well to not ask questions you already seem to know the answers to.”

“Oh, but were I to do _that_ , however would the poor souls around me ever learn anything new?” Nygma said, giving his cane a spin before jumping to sit on the counter’s edge. “Still, I do give credit where credit is due; you did a marvelous job at wrapping the Bat around your little finger just now. A few tear-coated words, and you have him running to do your bidding.” A mocking tip of a bowler followed. “Most impressive, doctor.”

“It was a mutual arrangement, I assure you.” Fries glanced down, eyes landing on the puddle of blue. “He feels obligated to offer me _something._ After all, I did manufacture -” He trailed off, watching the other man carefully. He had his doubts, but just how much did the Riddler know...

“The only known cure for his current condition. Yes, I am aware.” It was to be expected, the all-knowing smirk. “The one you refused to give him.”

At that, Fries let out a huff. “Wouldn’t you?”

“It depends.” The man leaned in and tilted his head. “Was there a particular reason for you to still stash some of it into a safe right under his eyes?”

Fries was taken back, and he knew Nygma noticed his jolt. Yet, he had to ask. 

“How did you -”

A wider grin crept up on the Riddler’s face as he tapped his own ear. “It pays to listen closely.”

Of course. How else. While Fries wasn’t entire certain how exactly Nygma had managed to infiltrate Batman’s coms, it was clear that he did have some inside knowledge which could have only been obtained through such methods. It was quite unnerving, honestly. To see the extent of this man’s abilities when it came to technology. 

Keeping his face emotionless, Fries backed up to the other counter opposite to the one occupied by Nygma. “You have put your mind in good use. Some grander scheme ahead, I am sure. Shame that you see it fit to include _me_ in it, considering how I fail to see this being particularly useful to you.” 

Nygma merely shrugged. “Perhaps not. But then again, it doesn’t hurt to keep a watchful eye on the on-goings of our fine city. You never know what might come in handy later.” 

“So this is purely a visit for your own amusement?”

“Exactly.”

Silence settled down after that. The two men simply remained on their seats, one toying with his cane and the other turning his attention to the computer screen still shining on the table. The soundless note went on for a long moment, breaking only when the Riddler sighed out loud and stood up. The movement caught Fries’ attention, and he turned around in time to face the unblinking stare aimed at him from few feet away.

“You _really_ think he’s going to go through with it? To spend his precious minutes chasing after your... wife?”

The fact that the question bore nothing more than plain dismay, stabbed a dagger in Fries’ chest. He inhaled, attempted to maintain his calm. 

It was a struggle.

“Of course he does. He owns it to me, in his own mind.”

The Riddler snorted, raising a disbelieving brow. “I heard the conversation, Victor. Are you telling me that you’re putting your most valued egg in the basket of a vigilante who is not only borderline at the death’s doorstep, but _also_ seemingly willing to bend the rules in order to find the cure?” Nygma shook his head. “That is just absurd.”

 _“ENOUGH!”_

It was satisfying, in a way, to see how the lanky man took an instinctive step backwards as Fries pushed himself off the table and stalked towards him. “You are overstaying your welcome, Riddler. I’d advise you re-evaluate your situation with care.” He stopped, inches from the other man’s chest, and made sure the red light on his goggles didn’t go unseen. 

There was a visible tremor running over Nygma’s body, but apart from that first step, he didn’t back away. If anything, he stood up straighter and when he spoke, his voice was steady and calm.

“Even if Batman somehow manages to find her, the clown knows he is coming.” His head held high, Nygma regained his stance, remaining chest to chest with the towering man. “Your wife is going to end up in a crossfire.”

The push didn’t send him flying, not really. But it did put quite a distance between them, which was all Victor had wanted to achieve with it. 

“Your last warning, Nygma. My wife is none of your business.”

To his credit, Nygma didn’t seem bothered by the shove. If anything, the man appeared to be more irritated than hurt. He brushed some dirt of his jacket, set his hat in a tilt, and spread his arms in the end.

“I like you well enough, Victor. Hence why I am attempting to make a point.”

The redness had died down by the time Fries turned around, his gaze locking on the screens once more.

“Your point is uncalled for. Now, _get out_.”

As his fingers returned to their dance on the keyboard, Victor could hear the sound of a footsteps heading towards the exit. He was free to continue his work in peace.

After few minutes, he glanced back to the doorway.

* * *

The phone was already in his hand, number picked as Nygma walked out of the building.

After a few buzzes, the line opened up. “... Boss? You there?”

“Yes.” Nygma pulled himself up to the ladder with his free hand, scanning the surroundings while climbing. “Do we have any sightings about Batman?”

There was a pause, some ruffling in the background, before a voice spoke out again. “No sir, not since he left the police station.”

“Alright. I want you to take your crew, and go to downtown. Find and capture all Joker’s henchmen on sight. With as few casualties as possible.”

Nygma could hear the uncertainty in the shaking of the voice. “Uhh... D-do we ask ‘em something, or?” 

It was clear which option the man preferred.

Now standing securely on the roof, Nygma opened the small device he’d dug out of his pocket. On the screen was a live video feed from one of the puzzle rooms Batman had already solved.

A small smile twitched on his lips.

“No. I think I’ll do the questioning myself.”


End file.
